Hydrotherapy massage method and apparatus

Abstract

A hydrotherapy method and apparatus for discharging a fluid stream through an opening in the wall of a water tub, while concurrently translating the stream along a random path, to impact against the massage the body of a user.

We claim: 
     
       1. Hydrotherapy apparatus for discharging a fluid stream substantially in a first direction for impacting against a user's body, said apparatus comprising: fluid supply means;   elongated conduit means having a first end including a supply orifice and a second end including a nozzle having a discharge orifice;   means mounting said conduit means first end for coupling said supply orifice to said fluid supply means for supply fluid to said discharge orifice, said mounting means permitting said nozzle to randomly traverse a substantially planar area spaced from said first end;   said discharge orifice being oriented to discharge a first fluid stream component in a direction extending along said conduit means elongation in said first direction; and   means applying a transverse thrust force to said nozzle for moving said nozzle across said area.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises a rigid tube; and wherein said mounting means includes swivel means for coupling said rigid tube first end to said fluid supply means.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said swivel means includes mating ball and socket surfaces. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said rigid tube defines an internal passage including one or more gradual curves to obtain smooth fluid flow therethrough for multiple orientations of said tube. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 2 including drag means coupled to said rigid tube for limiting the speed of movement of said nozzle across said area. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said area has perpendicular first and second dimensions having a ratio of less than 4:1. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means applying said thrust force comprises means for discharging a fluid stream thrust component from said discharge orifice in a direction extending substantially parallel to said planar area. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 including thrust modifier means for redirecting said thrust component in response to said nozzle approaching a boundary of said area for causing said nozzle to randomly traverse said area. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said thrust modifier means includes: a pin secured to said conduit means extending in substantially the same direction as, but laterally displaced from, said nozzle; and   means associated with said area boundary for pivoting said nozzle around said pin.   
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said conduit means comprises a rigid tube; and wherein said mounting means includes swivel means for coupling said rigid tube first end to said fluid supply means.   
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said rigid tube includes one or more gradual curves therein and wherein the axis of said nozzle is laterally displaced from the axis of the first end of said tube. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said thrust modifier means includes: a pin secured to said tube extending substantially in the same direction as, but laterally displaced from, said nozzle; and   a plurality of open recesses extending around said area for temporarily receiving said pin to cause said thrust force to pivot said nozzle around said pin and redirect the direction of movement of said nozzle across said area.   
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said conduit means comprises a rigid tube and wherein said thrust modifier means includes: thrust director means mounted on said rigid tube adjacent to said discharge orifice for movement between first and second positions for respectively directing said thrust component in different first and second directions.   
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13 including actuator means for switching said thrust director means between said first and second positions as said nozzle approaches said area boundary. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said actuator means includes a fixedly mounted actuator member for engaging said thrust director means for switching it from said first to said second and from said second to said first positions. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 2 including asymmetric drag means coupled to said rigid tube for modifying the direction of movement of said nozzle across said area. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 10 including drag means coupled to said rigid tube for limiting the speed of movement of said nozzle across said area. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 10 including asymmetric drag means coupled to said rigid tube for modifying the direction of movement of said nozzle across said area. 
     
     
       19. Hydrotherapy apparatus for discharging a water stream substantially in a first direction for impacting against a user's body, said apparatus comprising: inlet means for supplying water under pressure;   an elongated flexible tube having a first end including a supply orifice and a second end including a nozzle having a discharge orifice;   means fixedly mounting said tube first end in axial alignment with said inlet means for supplying water from said inlet means to said discharge orifice, said mounting means permitting said nozzle to randomly traverse a substantially planar area spaced from said first end; and   means bending said tube between said first and second ends to discharge a first water stream component in said first direction, and a second water stream component substantially transverse to said first direction for moving said nozzle across said area, said bending means including a ring extending around said tube; and   means fixedly supporting said ring to engage said tube and prevent the formation of an uninterrupted column therein.   
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 19 including means for producing buoyancy proximate to said tube second end. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said ring extending around said tube has an inner contact surface which is continuous but noncircular. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said area has perpendicular first and second dimensions having a ratio of less than 4:1. 
     
     
       23. Hydrotherapy apparatus defining a substantially planar area for discharging a fluid stream substantially perpendicular to said area while concurrently translating said stream along a substantially random path lying in said area, said apparatus comprising: nozzle means having a discharge orifice;   means mounting said nozzle means for substantially unrestricted movement within said area;   means for supplying a fluid stream to said nozzle means for discharge through said discharge orifice; and   means orienting said nozzle means for discharging said stream in a direction having a primary component extending substantially perpendicular to said area for impacting against a user's body and a thrust component extending substantially parallel to said area for moving said nozzle means across said area, said area having perpendicular first and second dimensions having a ratio of less than 4:1.   
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 23 including thrust modifier means for varying the orientation of said nozzle means in response to said nozzle means approaching the boundary of said area for changing the direction of said thrust component to cause said nozzle means to sequentially travel along different path segments across said area. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said thrust modifier means includes: a pin secured to said nozzle means extending in substantially the same direction as, but laterally displaced from, said nozzle means; and   means associated with said area boundary for pivoting said nozzle means around said pin to redirect said thrust component.   
     
     
       26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said thrust modifier means includes thrust director means mounted on said nozzle means adjacent to said discharge orifice for movement between first and second positions for respectively directing said thrust component in first and second different directions. 
     
     
       27. In combination with a water tub having a peripheral wall and an opening therein, apparatus mounted adjacent to said opening for discharging a water stream through said opening into said tub and for concurrently translating said stream in a direction transverse to said stream, said apparatus comprising: a housing mounted adjacent the outer surface of said peripheral wall defining a substantially planar nozzle travel area substantially coincident with said wall opening, said travel area having perpendicular first and second dimensions having a ratio of less than 4:1;   a pressurized water source means;   a nozzle having a discharge orifice;   means mounting said nozzle in said housing for substatially unrestricted translation across said travel area;   means coupling said water source means to said nozzle for discharging a water stream through said discharge orifice;   means orienting said nozzle to discharge a primary stream component in a direction extending substantially perpendicular to said travel area; and   means for thrusting said nozzle along a substantially random path coincident with said travel area.   
     
     
       28. The combination of claim 27 wherein said area has a vertical dimension between 8 and 20 inches and a horizontal dimension between 5 and 14 inches. 
     
     
       29. The combination of claim 27 wherein said means for thrusting includes means for discharging a secondary stream component in a direction extending substantially parallel to travel area. 
     
     
       30. The combination of claim 27 wherein said coupling means comprises a rigid tube. 
     
     
       31. The combination of claim 27 wherein said coupling means comprises a flexible tube. 
     
     
       32. Hydrotherapy apparatus for discharging a fluid stream for impacting against a user's body, said apparatus comprising: fluid supply means for supplying a pressurized water flow along an entrance axis;   elongated conduit means having a first end including a supply orifice and a second end including a discharge orifice;   means mounting said conduit means first end proximate to said fluid supply means for directing said water flow through said conduit means to said discharge orifice, said mounting means positioning said conduit means second end to permit said discharge orifice to travel along a substantially random path defining a substantially planar area spaced from said conduit means first end;   said conduit means including means for diverting said water flow away from said axis to produce a lateral thrust on said conduit means second end for moving said discharge orifice along said substantially ramdom path.   
     
     
       33. The apparatus of claim 32 including thrust modifier means for redirecting said lateral thrust in response to said conduit means second end approaching a boundary of said area for causing said discharge orifice to randomly traverse said area. 
     
     
       34. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said conduit emans comprises a rigid tube; and wherein said mounting means includes swivel means for coupling said rigid tube first end to said fluid supply means   
     
     
       35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said swivel means includes mating ball and socket surfaces. 
     
     
       36. The apparatus of claim 34 including asymmetric drag means coupled to said rigid tube. 
     
     
       37. The apparatus of claim 32 including a substantially closed housing having an opening formed therein; and wherein said conduit means is mounted in said housing for movement of said discharge orifice along said substnatially planar area in said housing opening.   
     
     
       38. The apparatus of claim 37 in combination with a spa tub or the like having a perimeter wall defining an interior wall surface and an exterior wall surface; an opening formed in said perimeter wall; and wherein   said housing is mounted in said wall opening extending exteriorly with respect to said perimter wall and with said housing opening and said wall opening being substantially coincident.   
     
     
       39. The combination of claim 38 including a suction port formed in said perimeter wall; and recirculation means for drawing water in through said suction port and for supplying water to said fluid supply means.